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Urban green space (UGS) is an important component in the urban ecosystem and has great significance to the urban ecological environment. Although the development of remote sensing platforms and deep learning technologies have provided opportunities for UGS mapping from high-resolution images (HRIs), challenges still exist in its large-scale and fine-grained application, due to insufficient annotated datasets and specially designed methods for UGS. Moreover, the domain shift between images from different regions is also a problem that must be solved. To address these issues, a general deep learning (DL) framework is proposed for UGS mapping in the large scale, and the fine-grained UGS maps of 34 major cities/areas in China are generated (UGS-1m). The DL framework consists of a generator and a discriminator. The generator is a fully convolutional network designed for UGS extraction (UGSNet), which integrates attention mechanisms to improve the discrimination to UGS, and employs a point rending strategy for edge recovery. The discriminator is a fully connected network aiming to deal with the domain shift between images. To support the model training, an urban green space dataset (UGSet) with a total number of 4,454 samples of size 512×512 is provided. The main steps to obtain UGS-1m can be summarized as follows: a) Firstly, the UGSNet will be pre-trained on the UGSet in order to get a good starting training point for the generator; b) After pre-training on the UGSet, the discriminator is responsible to adapt the pre-trained UGSNet to different cities/areas through adversarial training; c) Finally, the UGS results of the 34 major cities/areas in China (UGS-1m) are obtained using 2,343 Google Earth images with a data frame of 7'30" in longitude and 5'00" in latitude, and a spatial resolution of nearly 1.1 meters. Evaluating the performance of the proposed approach on samples from Guangzhou city shows the validity of the UGS-1m products, with an overall accuracy of 87.4% and an F1 score of 81.14%. Furthermore, experiments on UGSet with the existing state-of-the-art (SOTA) DL models proves the effectiveness of UGSNet, with the highest F1 of 77.30%. Finally, the comparisons with existing products further shows the feasibility of the UGS-1m and the effectiveness and great potential of the proposed DL framework. The UGS-1m can be downloaded from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6155516 (Shi et al., 2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Seasonal variation in core lipid (CL) GDGTs found in lake surface sediments. • Significant amount of GDGTs produced in situ in the lake sediments. • CL GDGT-0/Crenarchaeol in the surface sediments correlated with dissolved oxygen. • MBT′ 6ME in the surface sediments correlated with seasonal temperature. • Seasonal variation of isoGDGTs and brGDGTs in SPM was affected by precipitation. Abstract Bacterial branched and archaeal isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs and isoGDGTs, respectively) have become important tools for the paleoclimate reconstruction of lacustrine systems. However, it is still unclear how geochemical proxies based on GDGTs, particularly in lake surface sediments, respond to seasonal environmental changes in shallow water lakes, whose sediment cores are increasingly being used for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. In this study, we collected samples from the top 0–2 cm of sediments and water column suspended particulate matter (SPM) at a monthly interval from June 2015 to May 2016 in Lake Donghu, a shallow lake in central China. An updated liquid chromatography method was used to separate the 5- and 6-methyl brGDGTs. A remarkable difference between the lake sediments, SPM, and catchment soils suggested that microorganisms inhabiting the surface sediments contributed a significant proportion of isoGDGTs and brGDGTs to the GDGT pool in the lake sediments. We found a clear seasonality in the concentration and distribution of core lipid (CL) isoGDGTs and brGDGTs in the lake surface sediments, in contrast to the absence of seasonality in brGDGTs in mid-latitude soils reported by previous studies. The intact polar lipid/CL ratios for both isoGDGTs and brGDGTs in the lake surface sediments were significantly higher than those in SPM and catchment soils and were higher in the warm seasons than in winter. This collectively suggested that the turnover of brGDGTs in the lake sediments was faster than that in soils. Furthermore, the GDGT-0/Cren ratio for the lake sediments exhibited a negative correlation with dissolved oxygen in the water column. The cyclisation degree of C5-methylated brGDGTs (CBT 5ME) was strongly related to water pH. Seasonal temperature variation clearly impacted the methylation degree of C6-methylated brGDGTs (MBT′ 6ME) but had no influence on C5-methylated brGDGTs (MBT′ 5ME), as opposed to the dependence of MBT′ 5ME on temperature in global soils, peatlands and African lakes. Due to the fast turnover rate and the sensitive response to seasonality, we suggest that the seasonal variation of fossil GDGTs in lake sediments should be considered when developing a calibration using fossil GDGTs in shallow-water lake surface sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the design objectives and structure of China's accelerator-driven subcritical system subcritical assembly Venus-1. The core of Venus-1 is a coupled core with a fast neutron zone and a thermal neutron zone. The fast neutron zone is at the center of the core and is formed by natural uranium fuel. A fast neutron spectrum field can be produced in the fast neutron zone and used for transmutation. The thermal neutron zone surrounds the fast neutron zone and is formed by low-enriched uranium fuel; it is a fission zone. Venus-1 is driven by an Am-Be or other steady neutron source (252Cf D-D reaction or D-T reaction) to research the effect of an external neutron source with different energies on it or is driven by a D-T pulsed neutron source through the China Institute of Atomic Energy pulsed neutron generator to research the dynamic characteristic. On July 18, 2005, the first fuel element was loaded into the Venus-1 subcritical assembly, and some preliminary experiments on subcritical and neutron distribution have been performed. The final load has been determined by preliminary experiments on Venus-1. The relative neutron importance of the external source, the relative distribution of the thermal neutron flux in the fast neutron zone, and the variation of the neutron count with the addition of natural uranium fuel also have been determined by preliminary experiments on Venus-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: With the aim of standardizing and improving the use of ultrasound-guided PLA on PTMC, a panel of experts from China and Italy, jointly issued this expert consensus on the clinical use of PLA for low-risk PTMC. Methods: This expert consensus was developed by Chinese and Italian experts who have specific competence and expertise in this area. An evidence-based approach combining the knowledge and practical experience of the panelists was utilized. Results: Twenty-six expert consensus recommendations were developed, spanning topics including the indications and contraindications of PLA for PTMC, physician training, preoperative preparation of patients, intraoperative technical procedures, possible complications, efficacy assessment, follow-up strategy, the approach to new PTMC and metastatic lymph nodes after treatment, thyroid-stimulating hormone inhibition therapy, and quality control of the entire procedure. Conclusion: We summarized practical recommendations about standardized and improved PLA treatment for PTMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chaihu-shugan-san (CHSGS) has been widely used in China to treat depression and gastrointestinal diseases for thousands of years, but little is known about its pharmacokinetic properties. The purpose of our study is to develop a reliable and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method to detect five components in beagle plasma and study their pharmacokinetic after oral administration of CHSGS in beagles. An Agilent C18 column (2.1 × 150 mm, 3.5 μm) was used to separate the analytes, and the column temperature was maintained at 40°C. A gradient elution procedure was used with solvent A (acetonitrile) and solvent B (0.1% formic acid, aqueous) as mobile phases. The elution procedure was 60% B—10% B (0–3 min) and 10% B—60% B (3.1–4 min). The flow rate was 0.3 mL/min, and the total measurement time was 4 min. Within the determined range, the standard calibration curves of the five analytes had a satisfactory linear relationship (r2 ≥ 0.9923). The recovery rate (n = 6) of the five analytes was between 85.42% and 90.85%, and the matrix effects (n = 6) were between 94.52% and 103.91%. These results show that the validated method could be successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetic in beagles after a single dose of CHSGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patterns and mechanisms of Holocene temperature variability in China remain highly controversial, possibly due to the lack of sufficient high-resolution records and few systematic compilations and reviews of published records. Here, we used branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) to generate a Holocene mean annual air temperature (MAAT) record from Lake Yangzonghai (YZH) in southwest (SW) China. Our record, largely ruling out the effect of seasonal bias, displays a long-term cooling of ∼1.5 °C since 10 cal ka BP, indicating that the discrepancy of Holocene temperature records (such as long-term cooling vs warming trends) in China cannot be attributed to the seasonal bias in temperature proxies. We compiled 67 published Holocene temperature records from China. These temperature records exhibit a mathematically consistent pattern with a relatively warmer mid-Holocene and colder late Holocene in the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) domain, whilst records show a relatively colder mid-Holocene and warmer late Holocene in the westerlies domain. This spatial heterogeneity of Holocene temperature variability is attributed to the modulation of monsoon systems, including the warming effect of ASM and the cooling effect of the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM). In the ASM domain, the dominant pattern with the relatively warmer mid-Holocene and colder late Holocene is primarily controlled by the persistent weakening of the warming effect of the ASM and the concurrent strengthening of the cooling effect of the EAWM during the mid-to-late Holocene. In the westerlies domain, the warming effect of the ASM disappears, the cooling effect of the EAWM is confined to the north of the Tibetan Plateau due to the blocking effect of the Tibetan Plateau. This dominant pattern with the relatively colder mid-Holocene and warmer late Holocene is driven by the increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHG) radiative forcing and Northern Hemisphere Annual Insolation (NHAI) forcing during the mid-to-late Holocene. • Long-term cooling of ∼1.5 °C since 10 cal ka BP recorded by brGDGT-based MAAT reconstruction. • Systematic compilation and review of 67 published Holocene temperature records from China. • Spatial heterogeneity of Holocene temperature variability between ASM and westerlies domains. • Monsoon systems control the trend of Holocene temperature variability in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The strategy of health policy has been changed for improving the performances to meeting the increasing healthcare demands. However, limited evidences were found to prove that the bundled payment was valid for service delivering in public sector. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a bundled policy on strengthening the county-village communication and improving the quality of chronic disease management. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study using the data collected in 2011, 2012 and 2014 from the Rural Health Development Project in China. The policy intervention included performance-related contract with health facilities, developing technical guideline for doctors and nurses, routine monitoring of performance, and efforts to increase public awareness about the services. There were two intervention counties in Henan Province, China, while one county with similar characteristics in Henan was selected as control. Funding allocation, work load and salary for health care workers, volume of township-to-village technical assistance were reported before and after the policy was implemented. Our study also examined the policy impacts on improving treatment outcomes of diabetes and hypertension care. Results: There were substantial increases in the provision of the basic package of services including 96.6 % of patients with hypertension, 91.2 % of patients with diabetes under the health management system. After the intervention, there were 34.3 % (hypertension) and 42.0 % (diabetes) increase in regular follow-up visit rates, 24.6 and 17.2 % increase in blood pressure and blood glucose control rates, respectively. The family health records system covered 96 % of the rural families. Technical assistance between township health centres and village clinics were enhanced. Compared with baseline, the monthly training meeting and field supervision & guidance between township health centres and village clinics increased 1.0 meeting, 1.5 field visits, respectively, while the increases in the control county were only 0.3 meeting and 0.3 field visits. At the end of this study, 93.8 % of health workers achieved their performance goals. More patients were referred to appropriate levels of care. Conclusion: This bundled policy intervention effectively improved rural health care delivery. The result of our study can be used for local governments to implement performance-based health system management in developing country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) are widespread but unique membrane-spanning lipids of many Archaea and some Bacteria. However, their specific biological sources and the associated environmental controls on their distribution remain unclear, especially in lacustrine settings, hindering our understanding of these compounds and their application as environmental proxies. Here we investigated the GDGT distributions across a large bottom water dissolved oxygen (DO) gradient (0.10–7.20 mg/L) using surface sediments of Lake Yangzonghai, a warm monomictic lake in southwestern China. We show that the distributions of both branched (br) and isoprenoidal (iso) GDGTs co-vary significantly with bottom water DO concentration. The relative abundances of tetramethylated brGDGTs, 5-methyl penta- and hexamethylated brGDGTs and isoGDGT-0 show a stepwise increase as bottom water DO concentration decreases. On the other hand, the relative abundances of 6-methyl penta- and hexamethylated brGDGTs and crenarchaeol exhibit a stepwise decline with a decrease in bottom water DO concentration. Genetic data indicate these DO-induced changes in GDGT parameters are related to changes in the bacterial and archaeal communities across the oxycline in the lake. For example, the high abundance of isoGDGT-0 in low DO samples coincides with a high abundance of methanogenic archaea and Bathyarchaeota. We propose that brGDGT-producing bacteria might include a diversity of other phyla in addition to the proposed source organism acidobacteria; different groups of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria are likely to contribute to the increased abundance of 5-methyl brGDGTs and 6-methyl brGDGTs in low and high DO zones, respectively. Consequently, the MBT′ and MBT′ 6ME brGDGT indices display strong correlations with DO concentration. Importantly, the MBT′ 5ME index is not significantly influenced by changes in DO concentration, suggesting that this index might be more resilient to these impacts and more suitable to reconstruct temperature in lake systems. • One of the most systematic investigation on DO impact on all the GDGT compounds and the related paleoclimate proxies • A new ternary diagram was used to identity the sources of lacustrine brGDGTs • Anaerobic and aerobic bacteria contribute to the increased abundance of 5-methyl and 6-methyl brGDGTs, respectively • MBT′ 5ME might be more suitable to reconstruct temperature in lake systems than MBT′ and MBT′ 6ME [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]